Scottish Snowballs

Ingredients

• 225 g Self-raising Flour (see Self-raising Flour note below)
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 80 g Caster Sugar
• 80 g Block Margarine or Butter (at room temperature)
• 1 Free-range Egg (whole; at room temperature; see Egg Size note below)
• 1 Free-range Egg Yolk (at room temperature; see Egg Size note below)
• 1 tbsp Milk
• Raspberry Jam (or strawberry; seedless preferred)
• 225 g Icing Sugar
• 2-3 tbsp Boiling Water
• 60-70 g Desiccated Coconut

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 200°c (180°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 6 or 400°F) and lightly grease a couple of baking sheets with some excess butter/margarine. Set aside.

2. 2

   Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter/margarine and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir through the sugar.

3. 3

   In a small bowl or mug, beat the eggs & milk together. Add to the dry ingredients, mix until combined, and you have a soft dough (you may need to use your hands).

4. 4

   Turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until it is smooth. Divide your dough into 20 even-sized balls, placing them on your prepared baking sheets, with a bit of space between each.

5. 5

   Bake in your pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes, until they are risen and a light golden colour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little on the baking sheets.

6. 6

   Once cool enough to touch but still warm, spread a little bit of jam (about half a teaspoon) onto the flat side of half the snowball buns before sandwiching the other halves to them. Place them into an empty muffin tin to stop them sliding apart whilst they continue to cool and the jam sets.

7. 7

   --- To decorate ---

8. 8

   Once your snowball buns have cooled and the jam has set, you can prepare your icing. In a small but relatively deep bowl, mix your icing sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of water until you have a thin consistency. Decant your coconut into a similar (but different) bowl and keep it close by.

9. 9

   Start by rolling your buns in the icing until completely coated. Hold your snowball bun above the icing and allow the excess to drip off, before transferring straight into the coconut. Roll your now-iced snowball bun in coconut until it is completely coated. Transfer to your muffin tin and repeat with the other snowballs, until they are all coated in icing and coconut.

10. 10

    Allow your snowballs to set for an hour or so before enjoying.